In Others' WordsIn Others' Words: Stuff
"All that stuff—it’s not yours. And you know something else about all that stuff? It’s not you." ~Max Lucado
“Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”
(Luke 12:15 The msg)
Have I ever defined myself by the stuff I own? Probably. (And I'm not proud when I admit that.)
It's that whole "Keeping up with the Joneses" dilemma. Surely the stuff we own proves something about us, right? At least, we think it does. Or else we wouldn't care what the Joneses had. We wouldn't care so much about what we had--or didn't have.
Stuff. I have too much of it. And that's a problem. But letting my stuff--clothes or shoes or books or the kind of car I drive--define me, that's narrowing the definition of who I am down to inanimate objects that break or rust or go out of style or depreciate the minute you drive them off the lot.
In Your Words: Have you got a handle on your stuff--or does it have an unhealthy hold on you? Treasuring a family heirloom is one thing, but purchasing something because it supposedly gives you a boost in status . . . that's something else all together.
photo by nuttakit/freedigitalphotos.net
Labels: Beth K. Vogt, In Others' Words, stuff we keep
posted by Beth K. Vogt @ 2:01 AM
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6 Comments:
I like to keep in check in this area by randomly giving stuff away from time to time (and not my old broken down this or that, but books I loved or pretty jewelry, etc.).
Constantly finding ways to challenge myself to not live like everyone else.
Great post.
~ Wendy
Great idea, Wendy. I've done this too--and it's fun and freeing at the same time!
Mostly, I think I have a handle on my stuff. Today anyway. :) But what you said about letting stuff define you made me think of things I let define me...it may not be my clothes or car or books, but often it's what I do or how I look or how many people say, "Melissa, you're cool" on a given day. And that's just as wrong a definition...
As always, thanks for the thought-provoking post. And have fun at the wedding...yaaayyyy!
I most certainly will have fun at the wedding--and I'll hug Roxanne for you!
Moves helped us trim some stuff. My sister won a Dooney & Burke purse in a raffle. She said she would never use it for fear people would think she paid for it. She sent it to me for a birthday present. Now I feel self conscious about using it. I laugh every time I see it in my closet.
Great question, Beth, and I love the things shared here. I have a handle on stuff. Well, some of it. Clothing for instance. If I buy a new sweater I give one away. I go through my closet during each season and figure out what doesn't fit my body or who I am anymore and give it away. Now, books and CD's, well, those are a little harder to get rid of.
Melissa, I love what you shared about intangible stuff. Great thoughts!
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